Blow to IPCC as lawyers quit advisory body

The credibility of the police watchdog has been dealt a serious blow after a group representing more than 100 lawyers specialising in police complaints resigned from its advisory body.

The Police Action Lawyers Group (PALG) wrote to Nick Hardwick, the chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), expressing its "dismay and disillusionment" at "the consistently poor quality of decision-making at all levels of the IPCC".

The resignation by the PALG, which represents specialist lawyers on the advisory board, threatens to damage the reputation of the commission, which was established in 2004 as an independent system for dealing with complaints against police.

The group repeatedly told the commission of its concerns.

In October 2005 it presented Mr Hardwick with a dossier warning that, with few exceptions, "mediocrity appears to flourish unchecked, unmarked and, in many instances, unacknowledged".

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The document listed 12 sample IPCC decisions, concluding: "Sadly, in many of the cases we have dealt with over the 18 months, we have been very disappointed by the poor quality of such decisions and, worse, the apparent lack of impartiality reflected in the reasoning given for such decisions.

"One common feature that seems to emerge is that primary decision-making functions are apparently being devolved to poorly-trained junior staff.

"More generally, the performance of those responsible for supervising, managing or conducting investigations has given cause for serious concern..."

An investigation, by the Guardian newspaper, into the problems at the IPCC found evidence of favouritism towards the police, cases of indifference and rudeness towards complainants and extreme delays.

Mr Hardwick said the IPCC had improved the complaints system.

He said: "As far as we can tell, for the most part their complaints relate to cases from our predecessor [the Police Complaints Authority]."